Drum pushing device



April 27, 1965 T. A. MOORE 3,180,621

DRUM PUSHING DEVICE Filed June 18, 1962 INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,180,621 DRUM PUSHING DEVKQE Torn Arthur Moore, 835 Gale Lane, Nashville, Tenn. Filed June 18, 1962, Ser. No. 203,281 Claims. (Cl. 254-135) for thrusting a buoyant drum beneath a floating station-' ary structure.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device for pushing drums comprising a specially designed framework for slidably receiving and guiding the cylindrical drum axially of the frame.

A further object of this invention is to provide a novel drum pushing device which is simply, economically, and rigidly constructed, and which may be easily manipulated by one or two operators.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the invention in operative position for thrusting a drum in a body of water heneath a floating dock; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2. Referring now to the drawings in more detail, the

device comprises a frame 10 having a pair of elongated side members 11 and 12, disclosed in the drawings as pipe or tubular sections. Side members 11 and 12 are bridged by a plurality of axially or longitudinally spaced, rigid, arcuate bands 13, 1 and 15, the ends of which are welded or otherwise fixed to the side members 11 and 12. Each band 13, 14, and may be reinforced by arcuate tubular members 15, 17 and 1%, respectively secured to the upper surface of each band, such as by welding. It will be noted particularly in FIG. 2 that the length of each arcuate band 13, 14 and 15 becomes progressively shorter from the rear to the front of the frame 10. it will also be noted that the plane formed by the side members 11 and 12 slopes upward from the rear of the frame it toward the front so that the plane of the side members 11 and 12 intersects the parallel planes of the bands 13 and 14 and 15 at the same angles.

The front ends of the side members 11 and 12 are connected by a straight transverse front member, such as the angle iron Zil having a front upstanding flange 21 parallel to the planes of the bands 13, 14 and 15, which are normal to the longitudinal axis of the frame it A plurality of elongated runner bars or rods 24 and 2-5 are spaced transversely of each other, and are rigidly connected, such as by welding, to the bottom surfaces of all of the bands 13, 14 and 15 and the front transverse member 25. These runner bars 24 and 2.5 not only improve the rigidity and strength of the frame it but also provide smooth, uninterrupted surfaces for slidably receiving the surface of a drum 27, and for preventing obstructive engagement of the ridges 23 with the bands 13, Blend 15.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the side members 11 and 12 extend to the rear of the frame it) beyond the rear band 13 in order to telescopingly receive the extensible tubular handles 29 or 36. These tubular handles 29 and 36 may ice be secured to the rear extensions of the side members iii and 12 by means such as set screws 31 and 32. The handles 29, only one of which is shown in FIG. 2, are simply straight tubular extensions to be grasped by an operator standing in shallow water for manipulating the frame it). On the other hand, the handle 30 is an inverted U-shaped member having depending ends terminating in tubular sockets 33, which receive the rear ends of the side members 11 and 12. The handle 30 is mounted upward at an angle to the sockets 33 to provide means for manipulating the frame it? from a boat.

in addition to the runner bars 24 and 25, a pair of elongated support rods 34 and 35 are welded or otherwise fixed to the bottom surfaces of the bands 13, 14 and i5, and extend parallel to each other symmetrically about the vertical central plane of the frame 10. The forward ends of the support rods 34 and 35 support a transverse afle 36 rotatably carrying a pulley 37. ,The pulley 37 carries a cable 38, having at one end a means, such as a hook 33, for engaging the rear or trailing end of the cylindrical container or drum 27. The portion of the cable between the hook 39 and the pulley 37 is adapted to be within the frame ill and below the bands l3, l4, and 1.5, or in other words, between the frame 1d and the drum 27. On the other hand, the other portion of the cable 33 beyond the pulley 37 is adapted to be outside the frame it) and adapted to be pulled to the rear by any convenient means, not shown, such as by hand.

The drum 2'7, adapted to be thrust by the device 10, may be a cylindrical container of any type, or even a barrel, which is water-tight in order that it may be buoyant on a liquid medium such as the water ltl, as disclosed in FIG. 2. Although the device 10 may be employed in most situations requiring axial movement of the drum, it is particularly adapted for thrusting the drum 27, while floating on the water 4-0, beneath a floating dock 42, shown in phantom in FIG. 2, having a front transverse sill or beam 43 rigidly fixed to and supporting the bottom of the dock platform 42.

The operation of the invention as applied to the installation of a floating drum 27 beneath a floating dock 42 is as follows:

The dock 42 is supported at other points, not shown, by other buoyant drums. This device is particularly adapted for replacing one of the older defective drums with a new drum 27. The operator puts the drum 27 in the water and then places the frame 14) on top of the drum in the position substantially disclosed in the drawings, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum The frame ill acts as a cradle on top of the drum 2'7, with the side members 11 and 12 balanced on opposite sides to slidably receive the drum 27. The hook 39 is then attached over the rear or trailing end of the drum Z7 and the cable 355 is drawn taut over the pulley 37.

Although one operator may manipulate the device, either wading in shallow water or standing in a boat, it could be more efiiciently handled by two operators, the first operator manipulating the handles 29 or 30, and the second operator manipulating the cable 38. The first operator pushes the device 10 and drum 27 through the water toward the dock 4-2. When the front end of the frame it? is adjacent the sill 43, the first operator lifts the handles 2h or to raise the rear end, or depress the front end of the frame ll? until the front bar 29 will pass beneath the sill a3 and the flange 21 will securely engage the inside of the sill 4-3. With the frame Ill secured in this position, the second operator may stand on the frame it) or in the boat to pull the cable 38 around the pulley 37, causing the hook 39 to thrust the drum 27 forwardly along the side members 11 and 12, and sometimes runner bars 24 and 25 and beneath the dock 42. After the hook 39 reaches its forwardmost position adjacent the pulley 37, the drum 27 is properly positioned for floatably supporting its portion of the dock 42. The handles 29 or 30 are then raised till the flange 21 can be disengaged from the sill 43, and the device completely removed from the dock 42 and the drum 27.

It will be observed in the drawings that most conventional drums 27 have longitudinally spaced circumferential ribs or ridges 28. The ribs 28 of a drum having a substantially smaller diameter than the drum 27 shown in FIG. 3, would provide obstructions to the axial movement of the drum 27 through the frame 10, were it not for the smooth elongated runners 24 and 25, and their fixed location on the inner or lower surface of the bands 13, 14, and 15. It will also be observed that the support rods 34 and 35 may also be employed as runners and the space between the support rods 34 and 35 provide a passageway for the moving cable 38, so that the cable 38 will not be bound between the frame 16 and the upper surface of the drum 27.

The angular relationship of the side members 11 and 12 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the frame 10, the front bar 20, and flange 21 facilitates insertion of the flange 21'inside the transverse sill 43. The front member 20 acts as a pivot point about which the handles 29 or 30 may be elevated in order to tilt the flange 21. for passage beneath the sill 43.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for pushing a drum along a supporting medium beneath a structure spaced above said medium comprising:

(a) a frame having a longitudinal axis and front and rear ends,

(b) said frame having a top surface and an arcuate cross-section forming a concave bottom surface for slidably receiving said drum axially beneath said frame,

() means for engaging the rear end of said drum while said drum is received in said frame,

(d) means on said frame operatively connected to said engaging means for moving said drum forward beneath said frame, and

(e) means on top of said frame adjacentv said front end for engaging said structure to resist rearward movement of said frame while said drum is being moved forward beneath said structure.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which handle means are fixed to the rear end of said frame forv -maneuvering said frame relative to said drum and relative to said structure, said frame being adapted to be maneuvered independently of said drum engaging means. 3. The invention according to claim 1 in which said drum moving means comprises a pulley rotatably mounted on said frame and a cable having first and second ends,-

said cable being supported around said pulley, said first end being connected to said drum engaging means, the portion of said cable between said first end and said pulley lying between said frame and said drum, and the portion of said cable between said pulley and said second end being above said frame.

4. The invention according to claim 1 in which said structure comprises a substantially stationary transverse beam, and said structureengaging means comprises a transverse member having an upstanding front transverse flange for engaging the front surface of said transverse eam.

5. The invention according to claim 2 in which said handle means comprise elongated side members fixed to and taperingupwardly relative to the longitudinal axis of said frame. a

6. .A device for pushing a drum floating in a liquid medium comprising:

(a) a frame having a longitudinal axis and front and rear ends,

(b) said frame having a pair of elongated side members lying in a plane at an angle to said longitudinal axis and tapering upwardly toward the front of said frame,

(c) axially spaced arcuate bands connecting said side members to.form an arcuate bridge concave downward for receiving a drum, the tops of said bands being longitudinally aligned parallel to the longitudinal'axis of said frame,

(d) a transverse front member connecting the front ends of said side members, said front member having an upstanding transverse flange substantially normalto the longitudinal axis of said frame for engaging a stationary transverse beam,

(e) means'for engaging the rear end of the drum re ceived in said frame, and

(1) means on said frame operatively'connected to said engaging means to thrust said drum forwardly of said frame when said front flanged member engages said stationary beam.

7. The invention according to claim 6 in which said pulling means comprises a pulley rotatably mounted adjacent the front end of said frame, and a cable having first and second ends supported around said pulley, said first end beingconnected. to the drum-engaging means and said second end being adapted to be pulled toward the rear of said frame.

8. The invention according to claim 6 in which the rear ends of said side members comprise handle means.

9. The invention according to claim 7 in which said drum engaging means comprises a hook fixed to the first end of said cable and adapted to engage the rear end of said drum.

10. The invention according to claim 7 in which the rotary axis of said pulley is transverse of said frame and said pulley is in substantial alignment with the alignment of the tops of said arcuate bands, said first end of said cable being within said frame while' the second end of said cable is outside. of said frame.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,809,342 6/31 Johnson 254 2,663,440 12/53 Jackson 254'3.2 X 3,048,280 8/62 Huff et a1. 254-29 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH P. STRIZAK, Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE FOR PUSHING A DRUM ALOPNG A SUPPORTING MEDIUM BENEATH A STRUCTURE SPACED ABOVE SAID MEDIUM COMPRISING: (A) A FRAME HAVING A LONGITUDINAL AXIS AND FRONT AND REAR ENDS, (B) SAID FRAME HAVING A TOP SURFACE AND AN ARCUATE CROSS-SECTION FORMING A CONCAVE BOTTOM SURFACE FOR SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID DRUM AXIALLY BENEATH SAID FRAME, (C) MEANS FOR ENGAGING THE REAR END OF SAID DRUM WHILD SAID DRUM IS REVEIVED IN SAID FRAME, (D) MEANS ON SAID FRAME OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID ENGAGING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID DRUM FORWARD BENEATH SAID FRAME, AND (E) MEANS ON TOP SAID FRAME ADJACENT SAID FRONT END FOR ENGAGING SAID STRUCTURE TO RESIST REARWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID FRAME WHILE SAID DRUM IS BEING MOVED FORWARD BENEATH SAID STRUCTURE. 